As powerful as information is, too much can sometimes do more harm than good. Let’s say you’re preparing for a job interview. You’ve done some background research on the company so you’re familiar with their product/service. You’ve reviewed your resume and answered some common interview questions to simulate the actual process. If you’re lucky, maybe you know someone familiar with the company who can provide helpful general pointers

Yet in my view, there is only so much preparation you can do before it becomes overkill. Consider a popular type of article frequently seen on job search sites: “The Five Hardest Questions ‘Famous Company X’ Asks.” Put aside the accuracy (or lack thereof) of those questions and consider more broadly: Even if you nail those five questions, will that guarantee you get offered a position? Also, if you accessed that article from a public forum, guess who else can too? The person who will actually be asking you questions.

If you do your research and prepare diligently, you’ve put yourself in the best possible position to succeed—and that’s all you can really ask of yourself in a process that you don’t entirely control